Not many mainstream cycling fans would have heard of Team SmartStop.
That is understandable given the average pro cycling fan being more focused on the big teams which dominate the daily news websites and forums. Team SKY’s Richie Porte sleeping in a camper van or Etixx-Quickstep’s Mark Cavendish’s latest venal outburst are stories that captivate the public’s imagination, which is pretty normal as far as most big league sports go. Amid the big fish swimming in the large pond of professional cycling though, are the smaller fries; those upstarts that effectively make the sport what it is.
AcroVelo’s latest documentary captures the spirit of the smaller teams going up against the big boys like few others can. In short, this is cycling reality TV at its best: a look behind the scenes of a domestic outfit’s quest for glory in the recent AMGEN Tour of California.
A big heart and innate intelligence are required in carving out a niche in a sport where the lesser riders (no derogation intended) can often be “flicked” out of contention by big squads with sheer numbers and bigger budgets in their favour. Michael Creed has both attributes in spades and is quite possibly one of the greatest tacticians nobody has ever heard of. A former pro rider himself, Creed’s mannerisms and personality behind the wheel of the team car come across as a sort of serious calm; a sangfroid of sorts mixed with large doses of compassion and humour.
His mind is clearly working overtime while his featured rider, Canadian Rob Britton, exudes the nonchalance and aloofness that only a pro bike rider can. The frenetic tension in the team car versus the smooth pedaling Britton’s casual request for a bike change; the speeding up the side of the race convoy in comparison to the tall Canadian rider’s laid back body language upon swapping bicycles: the staff and riders contrasting personas are vividly illustrated in the backdrop of achieving a top-ten placing on the General Classification. Both parties are doing their jobs to the best of their respective abilities.
Tenth place on GC; what is so special about that one might ask? Monumental and, for a small squad like SmartStop, validates their whole season. In the company of the SKY’s and the BMC’s, this is no small feat and the effort and energy that goes into attaining such a result just cannot be described in words.
While Team SmartShop has gained a reputation of taking on the giants through strategy and a healthy Espirit de Corps, the domestic American squad might not be for everybody, wallflowers included. They are there to race and, if the stars align, to win. Creed made a career of being a great teammate and this shows in his directing style; a little attitude goes a long way in this game and a rider intent on proving himself cannot go into a race of such magnitude with anything less than such deep desire and drive.
As Creed goes on to say: if you want to race complacently go ride for another fucking team.
*Header image courtesy of www.samsmith.tv/acrovelo
